Discharge-valve mechanism for used laundry water



Jan. 1, 11924 R. ROOST DISCHARGE VALVE MECHANISM FOR USED LAUNDRY WATER We /66m;

Filed Aug. 2O 3% ?atented Jan. 1, N24

; iaiaasa earsar easiest RICHARD BOOST, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 HUEBSOH MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, OF IvIILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

DISCHARGE-VALVE MECHANISBI FOR USED LAUNDRY WATER.

Application filed August 20, 1919. Serial No. 318,627.

To all whom it may concern v I Be it known that I, RICHARD Room, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Discharge- Valve Mechanism for Used Laundry Water, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates more particularly to valve mechanism for controlling the discharge and disposalof used laundry water. The main objects of the invention are to conserve water in the operation of laundries, especially in localities where water is scarce or is hard or impure and requires special treatment to make it suitable for Washing clothes; to provide in connection with a tight closing cut-0E, for the discharge of a washing machine or tub, a selective valve for diverting the discharge according to its nature or condition into difierent conduits so that such of the wash waters, for example, suds and rinsing water, as are in suitable condition, or can be practicably made so by purification or treatment, may be used over again and the rest allowed to run directly into a sewer or waste conduit; to provide a simple, easily assembled and installed valve unit with which the requisite pipe connections can be conveniently made for the discharge and distribution of used laundry water from washing machines, laundry tubs or wash receptacles, and for the supply of fresh or clean water thereto; and generally to improve the construction and operation of apparatus for the control and disposal of the discharge from washing machines and tubs.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in the sev eral figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section on the line l-l, Fig. 2, of valve mechanism embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan view on a reduced scale showing one of various ways of installing the valve. mechanism with washing machines or laundry tubs and pipe lines for the conservation of used water.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the valve mechanism comprises a poppet cut-off valve 1, for controlling the discharge ofwater from washing machines or tubs, and a rotary selective plug or gate valve 2, connected with the outlet of the cut-off valve and adapted to divertor direct used laundry water discharged therefrom into different conduits, accordingto its nature or condition.

The cut-ofi valve, which is designed primarily to directly control the discharge of used laundry water from washing machines or tubs and to tightly close the outlet from each machine or tub, comprises a case 4, open at the top and provided with a re movable cover 5, and closed at the bottom and provided adjacent thereto with a lateral outlet port 6. Adjacent to its lower end and above the outlet port 6 thevalve case is formed or provided with a beveled annular valve seat 7, and above this seat, with a lateral service port 8, with which the dis charge pipe 9 of a washing-machine, laundry tub or wash receptacle is connected. The cut-off valve case is also preferably pro vided with a lateral water supply or inlet port 11, with which a pipe 12 is connected for charging the washing machine, laundry tub or wash receptacle through the pipe 9 with water, according to the customary practice, without independent or extra connections with. the machine or tub for the purpose The cut-.ofl valve hasa lift or poppet valve head 14, provided with an operating stem 15, which extends upwardly therefrom through a stufiing box 16 in the cover 5. The valve head, which closes in the direction of the discharge flow from the port 8 to the port 6, is provided with a rubber or elastic beveled body or face 17, fitting the seat 7 and adapted to form and maintain a tight closure therewith. n walvc of this kind has been found by experience to be the only one which will satisfactorily form and maintain a tight closure for the discharge of used laundry water containing more or less soap, shreds, dirt and impurities, and it can be conveniently operated manually or automatically by timing mechanism such as is used in laundries for opening the distub or wash receptacle at predetermined times.

The selective valve 2 comprises a cylindrical case 19, closed at its lower end and a formed with a'lateral inlet port 20, WlllOlL registers with the outlet-port 6 of the cut off valve when the parts of the apparatus are assembledasshown.

The case 19 is formed with a flanged coupling 16, which is bolted to a corresponding flanged coupling 18 on the case l, as shown. in Fig. 2, or thetwo valve'cases may be otherwise detachably connected so that either may be replaced without discarding theother, and-the construction and assemblage of parts of the device are facilitated.

The case 19,-which is-open at the upper end, is formed between its upper end and the inlet port 20, with lateral waste and water-saving outlet ports 22, 23 and 24. A hollow cylindrical pluggatecor valve member -26, rotatably fitted in the case 1%), closed at'its upper end and open at its lower end-in direct communication with the inlet port20, is formed with a lateral outlet port 27 adapted to, beturned into registerwith the outlet ports 22,23 and 2e-one at a time. The rotary plug, gate or valve n'1e1nber'26 is provided at its closed end-with an upwardly projecting stem and handle 28.

According to one of various ways of installing the discharge valve mechanism as shown in Fig. 3, the port 8 of eachcut-off valve is connected by a pipe 9 with the lower art of one of a series of washing machines, aundry tubs or wash receptacles 29. The waste outlet port 22 ofeach associated selective valve, is located over and in position to discharge directly into a waste conduit 30, shown as an open-gutter.

The outlet port 23 of each selective valve is connected by a branch pipe 32 with a pipe line 33 leading into a sump or reservoir 34 for saving suds or water impregnated with soap.

' The outlet port 24 of each selective valve is connected by a branch pipe 36 with a pipe line 37 leading into a sump. tank or reservoir 38, for saving rinse waters.

The poppet cutofl' valve 1 and the rotary selective plug or gate valve 2 being thus assembled and directly connected with each otheras a unit-,the piping requiredfol the operation 01" washing machines, laundry tubsor wash receptacles, and the conservation of water is simplified and the installation and. operation oi? the valves is facilit-at'ed. V

'-In "the operation of the apparatus as shown, the gate or movable member-26 of the selective valve 2 is set by the operator or attendant, while the associated cut-off valve- 1 is closed,-ftodischarge the water which has been used iirtheassociated wash ing- =mach-hie -or-tub 29, according to its; na-

ture or condition. through one of the outlet ports 22, 23 or 24: of the selective valve into the gutter or waste conduit 30 or oneoi' the pipe-lines 33 or 37. If the used water is suds, or is, impregnatedwith soapandcan be made lit for turtheruseby purification or other treatment, it is discharged through the pipe line 33 into the sumplonreservoir 34 in which impurities are allowed to settle and the soap is recovered and from which it is drawn for further use in a washing machine or tub. r

' Iithe used water, such as rinse-water, does not contain soap and is suitable with or without'treatment, for further-use, it is discharged through the pipe line 37 into the tank or reserv'oir 38, in which impurities, ii any, areallowed to settle, and-from which itis drawmasneeded.

I If-the used water discharged 'from' a H13,- chine or tub is unfit for further use, and it is impracticable to make it fit for further use, it is discharged directly from the selective valve into the waste ,conduit' 3O.

The selectivevalve may --be provided with one or more outlet ports and; pipe-;c0nnections for saving used water, according to the conditionsandjrequirements of the laundrv in which itis installed.

Various changes in details of construction and arrangement o'lt'parts' ofthe valve mechanism I or apparatus may be made withoutdeparture trom the principle and-scope of the invention-as definedinthe following claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of a cut-off valve for controlling the discharge of used' laund'ry water comprising a case provided with a seat, a service port on the 'same's'ide otthe seat and an outlet port and coupling memher on the oppos-ite side ot-the seat, anda poppet valve head adapted to close -in the direction of d-ischarge flow tightly against the seat; and a selective valve comprising a cylindrical case provided with outlet portsand with an inlet port-and coupling member registering with the outlet port I and its coupling member -of the cut-ofi valve,'-and a hollow cylindrical gate rotatably" fitted in the selective valve case in opencommunication at one end through its inlet port with the outlet port of the cutoff valve and provided with a port i'egistrablewith-theoutoutlet ports and with an inlet port and coupprovided with a port registrable with the ling member registering with the outlet port outlet ports of the selective valve one at a and coupling member of the cut-off valve, time. no and a hollow cylindrical gate rotatably fit- In witness whereof I hereto aflix my sig ted in the selective valve case in open comn munication at one end through its inlet port with the outlet port of the cut-off valve and 1 RICHARD ROOST. 

